Less than 1 min.read

Accidental drug poisonings claim nine lives over seven-month period

March 6, 2026

Accidental drug poisonings claimed nine lives in Lethbridge between May and November last year.

According to the Alberta Substance Use Surveillance System, May recorded three accidental drug poisoning deaths, the highest monthly total during that period.

June and September each recorded two deaths, while one death was reported in August and October. No fatal accidental drug poisonings were reported in July or November.

Non-pharmaceutical opioids were linked to most of the deaths, while one fatality in May involved pharmaceutical opioids.

Provincial data also shows 11 opioid overdoses in the Lethbridge area between January and November last year.

Kass Patterson

Born and raised in Calgary, Kass, from a young age, developed a love for learning people's stories and being able to share them with the community (or her family, or whoever would listen). In addition to working in communities like Okotoks and Calgary, Kass has also spent her summers travelling with the World Professional Chuckwagon Association since 2019, to help provide a peek behind the barn door into the world of chuckwagon racing. Outside of work and anything horse related, Kass is a reader and an avid country music fan, and most likely can be found with the biggest cup of coffee possible.